A conventional striking mechanism for timepieces, particularly watches, using at least one rigid hammer, wound by a spring, and released by a control means to strike a given gong, generally has chronic disadvantages: part of the power released by the hammer spring is stored in the shock absorber and is not transmitted to the gong. Further, a second shock is often observed during the return travel from the gong, owing to the long time taken by the hammer to return to position. Distortion of the sound is unacceptable, especially in what is often an extremely expensive timepiece.
JP Patent S60122999U discloses a bell with a magnetized clapper, arranged to strike a bell, moved into certain positions by a magnetic field. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,744A in the name of LINK, discloses a bell wherein a hammer cooperates with a gong in a circular arc, under the action of a closed relay circuit armed or disarmed by a permanent magnet driven in rotation by a control motor.